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Alexander Chambers (August 23, 1832 – January 2, 1888) was a US Army officer, who became a general during the American Civil War.
Alexander Chambers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 23, 1832 Cattaraugus, New York |
| Died | February 2, 1888 (aged 55) San Antonio, Texas |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | Army |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | 16th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War |
| Alma mater | West Point |
| Other work | Military judge-advocate |
Chambers was born in Cattaraugus, New York. He graduated from West Point with the class of 1853 (which also included John Schofield and Philip Sheridan), and was commissioned a second lieutenant.[1] He fought in the Third Seminole War from 1855, and was promoted to first lieutenant in 1859. In May 1861, shortly after the war started, he was promoted to captain, and performed recruiting duty in Iowa. Promoted to colonel in March 1862, he took command of the 16th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment, leading it at the Battle of Shiloh and the Battle of Iuka, being wounded on both occasions.[2] Returning to duty, he led a brigade in the Vicksburg Campaign. In August 1863, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and led a division in the XVII Corps, but his appointment was revoked by the U.S. Senate in April 1864.[3] On December 8, 1868, President Andrew Johnson nominated Chambers for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for the Battle of Champion's Hill, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on February 16, 1869.[4]
After the war, he reverted to the rank of captain and remained in the army and served as a military judge-advocate in Nebraska,[5] receiving promotions to major and lieutenant colonel. He was also military attache to the Ottoman Empire from July 1877 to September 1878.[6][7] His last appointment was as garrison commander at Fort Townsend. He died in San Antonio, Texas with the rank of colonel in the 17th U.S. Infantry Regiment[8] and was buried in Owatonna, Minnesota.[3]
Notes
edit- ^ "Colonel Alexander Chambers". Omaha, Nebraska: Omaha Daily Bee. February 28, 1888. p. 3. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "A Hero's Record". Davenport, Iowa: Quad-City Times. January 4, 1888. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ a b Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. p. 169
- ^ Eicher, 2001, p. 742
- ^ "Col. Chambers and Red Cloud". Ottumwa, Iowa: The Weekly Ottumwa Courier. May 12, 1870. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Chambers Appointed by Gen. Sherman". Redwood Falls, Minnesota: The Redwood Gazette. June 28, 1877. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "An American in the Field to See How They Do Things in Turkey". Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune. September 22, 1877. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "Colonel Alexander Chambers Dead". Fort Worth, Texas: Fort Worth Daily Gazette. January 4, 1888. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
References
edit- Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Warner Jr., Ezra J. Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2006 ISBN 978-0807131497.